Community Development

Community Development

Leitrim Development Company under the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) will support and resource disadvantaged communities and marginalised groups to engage with relevant local and national stakeholders in identifying and addressing social exclusion and equality issues.

(1) Engagement of disadvantaged target groups in communities throughout Leitrim

Leitrim Development Company will provide support to local community groups to assist them to explore the level of involvement of key target groups in their committees, plans and in their activities. Similarly, marginalised target groups will receive support to assist them to engage more fully in local development.

The following will be undertaken:

A needs analysis of six of the most disadvantaged Local Authority estates in relation to their participation in social, educational, local community activity and youth initiatives

Delivery of a social inclusion equality programme on community engagement with key local and target groups focused on practical ways of engaging and including target groups on local committees and in area planning.

Development of a mentoring support network for members of target groups including people with disabilities, new communities and Travellers to enable them to actively engage in broader community and voluntary activity in their areas.

(2) Capacity Building of community groups promoting equality and social inclusion

Training and support will be provided to target groups and groups in disadvantaged areas to build their organisational capacity to access funding to promote their equality agenda.

The following supports will be provided:

New groups and groups of low capacity will be assisted with planning, organising insurance, tax clearance, running meetings and AGM’s, constitutions etc.

Local community and target groups with an equality and social inclusion agenda will be assisted to identify and draw down funding from agencies including Leitrim Co Council, HSE etc. They will also be assisted to access volunteers through Leitrim volunteering website maintained by Leitrim Development Company.

Community groups operating in disadvantaged areas will be assisted to develop projects and access funding to improve facilities in their areas for the use of target groups

This action will focus on building the capacity of community networks with a county remit including the North and South Community Networks, Leitrim Residents’ Network, Age Network, Cairde Liatroma Disability Network, Leitrim Intercultural Forum, Leitrim Travellers Development Group and Primary Health Care Forum.

These networks will be assisted to:

-Increase membership of target groups by promoting their activities through websites and media and hold outreach information sessions and meetings in targeted areas.

-Hold an information seminar on policy issues affecting local communities

Local community groups and networks will be supported to register and participate in the PPN process and on bodies including Leitrim Development Company, Older People’s Council, and Primary Health Care structures

(4) Development of strategic alliances between local communities and service providers

Leitrim Development Company will maintain existing strategic alliances and set the groundwork for the establishment of new alliances between communities, agencies and service providers to enable dialogue and explore solutions to addressing social exclusion. The following existing strategic alliances will be assisted: Leitrim Older People’s Council, and Leitrim Traveller Interagency Group.

Leitrim Development Company will work with other agencies and community representatives to set the groundwork for establishing a mental health alliance, North Leitrim Primary Care Alliance and an interagency estate management forum for local authority estates. New initiatives arising from these alliances which address social exclusion will be developed and supported including mental health promotion and estate management initiatives.A disability equality network with key disability groups and statutory agencies will also be explored with all potential stakeholders